Ash tray



March 1, 1949. v. GEORGE 2,463,485

ASH TRAY Filed March 15'. 194'? INVENTOR VIRGIL GEORGE Patented Mar. 1,1949 ASH TRAY Virgil George, Akron, Uhio; `oseplh George administratorof said Virgil George, deceased Application March 13, 1947, Serial No.734,293

(Cl. ISI-240) Claims. l

This invention relates to smokers accessories, and more especially itrelates to ash trays such as are utilized by cigar smokers and cigarettesmokers.

The invention is of especial utility for cigarette smokers since thenatural, long burning character of cigarettes makes them a definite firehazard.

The chief object of the invention is to reduce the fire hazard thatalways is present among cigarette smokers; more specifically theinvention aims to provide an ash tray for supporting a burning cigar orcigarette, and from which it is impossible for the cigar or cigarette tofall. The invention further contemplates an ash tray in which a lightedcigarette may be placed, and which automatically will extinguish thecigarette in from seven to eight minutes unless the smoking thereof isresumed before that time. Another object of the invention is to providea cigaretteextinguishing feature that does not pinch, crimp or otherwisedeform the cigarette. Other objects of the invention include at leastthe partial elimination of the gummy sweating from condensation whichordinarily occurs when the cigarette burns close to its support; andprovide cigarettesupporting means from which the cigarette readily maybe lifted, regardless of the short length of the unourned portion of thecigarette. Other objects will be manifest as the specification proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig, 3.

Referring to the drawing, there are shown ash tray structures that maybe composed of metal, but preferably are composed of glass, porcelain,or other suitable non-combustible composition, and although shown ascast or molded structures, may be made by stamping or drawing from sheetmaterial.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ash tray is a circular dish-likestructure or receptacle body I0 formed in its upwardly presented sidewith a centrally disposed axial well II. Located above the well I I,coaxially thereof `and of substantially larger diameter than the well isa vertical cylindrical surface or wall I2. At a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced, symmetrically arranged regions convex arcuatesurfaces I3, I3 extend from the bottom of the cylindrical surface I2 tothe bottom face of the well II. Intermediate said regions I3 arehorizontal ledges or shelves lli that extend radially inwardly from thebottom of the cylindrical surface I2, the radi-ally innermost margins ofsaid ledges terminating in upstanding ribs or flanges IE5 of relativelylow height above the ledges. The anges I5 are longitudinally arcuate,concentrically of the axis of the structure Ill, and on their concavesides they have substantially vertical faces I5 extending downwardly tothe bottom of the well I I. At the top of the cylindrical wall I2 is anoblique, upwardly sloped surface I8 that is concentric with the axis ofthe structure, the outer upper margin of surface I8 meeting the innermargin of a relatively narrow concentric surface I9 that slopes upwardlytoward its periphery, but less steeply than does surface i8. Theoutwardly extending surface i9 intersects the bottom of an upwardlyextending, slightly outwardly inclined surface 29, and the top of thelatter intersects an upwardly and outwardly sloped surface '2l that islocated on the upper marginal portion of the structure I@ and extendscircumferentially thereof Cigarettes are received in the ash tray ingrooves therein, which grooves extend radially of the structure, and arein alignment with the ledges Id and flanges I5 of the structure. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said ledges and anges are ve in number, buta greater or fewer number may be employed if desired. Two grooves areprovided for each cigarette, said grooves being designated 2d and Z5.The grooves 24 are formed in the surface ZI, are relatively shallow, andare of uniform depth throughout their length. The grooves 25, which larealigned with the grooves 2d radially of the tray structure, are locatedin that region of the latter that is bounded by surfaces I2, I8, saidgrooves extending from one of said surfaces to 'the other, beingobliquely disposed with relation to each of them. The grooves 25 are ofsuch shape as to receive an ordinary round-section cigarette thereinwithout pinching, crimping or otherwise deforming the cigarette. Thegrooves 25 are of greatest depth at the juncture of surfaces |12, I8,where they are nearly as deep as the diameter of the cigarette, thegrooves diminishing in depth toward their opposite ends as the result ofthe angular position of the grooves with relation to said surfaces I2and It. Each groove 24 and companion groove 25 constitute a two-pointsupport for a cigarette such as is indicated by the broken lines C ofFig. 2. Said grooves are disposed at the same angle with relation to thehorizontal, the arrangement being such that a cigarette reposing in apair of grooves 2li, 25, will have an end thereof in abutting relationto the flange l5 opposite the lower end of said groove 25, said flangepreventing the cigarette from sliding downwardly into the well i i.

When a burning cigarette is placed in grooves 24, 25 of the ash tray,its lighted end is downwardly disposed and rests against a ange I5. Inthis position the cigarette will continue to burn back until the groove25 is reached, which usually requires about seven or eight minutes. Thecigarette then automatically is extinguished due to the fact thatcontact of the cigarette with the groove surface shuts oil" the supplyof oxygen to the burning end of the cigarette. The bottom and a portionof the sides of each groove 25 are recessed or relieved, as shown at 2t,intermediate the respective ends of the groove, The arrangement is suchthat said recessed portion of the groove is out of Contact with thesurface of the cigarette, with the result that condensation and theaccumulation of a gummy deposit resulting therefrom on the cigarette isavoided. The recess ZE, howev r, is of such shallow depth that no aircurrents are set up around the adjacent portion of the cigarette, andextinguishing of the latter is not retarded.

The distance between each flange l5 and the remote end of each groove2li is such that a cigarette of the longest conventional length may bereceived in grooves 2d, 25, and will not project beyond the uppermarginal portion of the tray a suilicient distance to overbalance theremainder of the cigarette and fall from the tray so as to constitute adre hazard.

The fact that each groove diminishes in depth toward the respective endsthereof makes it possible easily to picl a burning cigarette from thegroove and resume smoking the same even though the unburned portion ofthe cigarette is relatively short.

If a cigarette is placed in the ash tray in any position over than inthe grooves ffl, 25, as described, it will slide downwardly into thecentral well Il of the tray, either by Sliding over one or another ofthe flanges i5, or by passing between two adjacent flanges. In no way isit possible to place a lighted cigarette in the ash tray in such amanner that it could fall therefrom and become a re hazard The well ilreceives burned matches and cigarette butts that may be dropped therein.

The invention is simple in construction and positive in operation. Itdoes not require that the cigarette be forced or squeezed inte arestricted space to extinguish the burning end thereof. The ash tray ofthe invention has no projecting parts that may become broken off ormutilated, it is readily emptied and washed, and it achieves the otherobjects set forth in the foregoing statement of objects.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is essentiallysimilar to the embodiment previously described, the difference residingin the size and shape of the structure, the nurnber ofcigarette-receiving grooves therein, andthe position of said grooveswith relation to each other. This embodiment comprises a body structurethat is of oblong shape in plan, there being a rectangular-shaped wellSi in one end thereof. At one side of well 3l are ledges or shelves 32,Sil, that are located above the bottoni of the well and extend towardeach other from opposite sides of the body structure, said ledges beingspaced apart from each other in the central lli i longitudinal plane ofthe structure. The ledges 32 are analogous to the ledges it of thepreviously described embodiment, but differ therefrom by being straightinstead of arcuate, said ledges 5:32 having respective flanges 33 alongthe sides thereof that confront the well 3|. Between the ledges 32 is anarcuate surface 35 extending from the bottom of well 3l upwardly to thelower margin of a vertical plane surface 3@ disposed behind the ledges32, said surface 35 being analogous to the surface i2 of the previouslydescribed embodiment of the invention. Like the latter, the modifiedtray includes sloped surfaces 36, 3l, 38, and 3d, that extend from onelateral wall to the other, and are planete instead of arcuate as in thepreviously described embodiment, the surface 39 being located on the topof an end wall of the structure. Cigarette-receiving grooves lll and 4H,identical with grooves 2li, 25, of the previously described embodiment,are provided, said grooves being disposed in parallel vertical planesthat extend longitudinally of the structure 3d, and centrally transectthe respective ledges 32 and flanges 33.

The modified embodiment of the invention functions in exactly the samemanner as the other embodiment thereof, and possesses all the inherentadvantages of the latter.

Other modification may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope thereof as dened by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A smokers article comprising a dished receptacle formed with arelatively deep well, a ledge at a somewhat elevated position besidesaid well and having an upstanding ange on its margin beside the Well, awall rising vertically from the opposite margin of said ledge and havinga top surface sloping upwardly from the l vertical face, and acigarette-receiving groove formed in said Wall and angularlyintersecting the sloped and vertical surfaces thereof, the angularposition of said groove being such that a cigarette received thereinwill rest with its lower end against said flange.

2. A combination as defined in claim l including a marginal structure onthe receptacle rising from the upwardly sloped wall surface, and ashallow groove in the top of said marginal structure, which groove is inalignment with the cigarette-receiving groove so that a two-area supportfora cigarette is provided.

3. An ash tray comprising a dished receptacle formed with a relativelydeep well, a plurality of ledges at a somewhat elevated position besidessaid well, said ledges being in spaced relation along the edge of thewell and each having an upstancling ange on its margin beside the well,a continuous wall rising vertically from the opposite margins of saidledges and intermediate the latter, said wall having a top surfacesloping upwardly from the vertical face, and cigarettereceiving groovesformed in said wall and angulariy intersecting the sloped and verticalsurfaces thereof, said grooves being disposed in vertical planes thatcentrally transect respective ledgesl and the flanges thereof, theangular posi- 'ion of said grooves being such that cigarettes receivedtherein rest with their lower ends against respective flanges.

Li. A combination as donned in claim 3 whereof the receptacle iscircular, the well is axially disposed, and the cigarette-receivinggrooves are disposed radially of said well.

5. A combination as defined in claim 3 whereof the receptacle is ofoblong shape, the Well is at one end thereof, and thecigarette-receiving grooves are disposed in parallel relation.

VIRGIL GEORGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Frank Sept. 10, 1946 KuntzJuly 14, 1936 Segel Dec. 7, 1943 Hines July 16,1946

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 18, 1937

